The Independence Health System Board of Trustees is made up of business
leaders and community members who generously give of their time and talent
to ensure the future of our healthcare system.
Ken DeFurio, President & CEO
Ken DeFurio is President & CEO of Independence Health System. DeFurio
was a key leader in the creation of Independence Health, the third largest
health system and the largest community-based health system in western
PA. Independence Health System was the result of bringing together Excela
Health and Butler Health System. With more than 7000 employees, and approximately
1000 physicians and advanced practice providers, it is the largest employer
in Butler and Westmoreland Counties. Independence Health System serves
a ten-county region in western PA.
DeFurio joined Butler Health System 37 years ago as a respiratory therapist.
He has been President & CEO for 17 years. DeFurio holds a Bachelor
of Science in Respiratory Therapy from Indiana University of PA and a
Master of Business Administration from the University of Pittsburgh.
DeFurio serves on a number of boards and community organizations, including
Butler County Community College. He is a board member and officer of The
Hospital and Health System Association of Pennsylvania (HAP).
Paul Bacharach
Paul Bacharach, Board Chair, recently retired as President and Chief Executive
Officer of Gateway Rehab, having held that role since December 2013. In
his position, Bacharach oversaw all facets of the Gateway Rehab system,
which has more than 20 locations through Western Pennsylvania and Ohio.
He previously served for 21 years as the President and CEO of Fayette
Regional Health System/Uniontown Hospital. In that capacity he was responsible
for the health system’s ability to maintain dominant market position
in its region while advancing clinical services, infrastructure and financial
stability. Prior to joining the Fayette Health System, Bacharach advanced
progressively through hospital positions in Western Pennsylvania and Ohio.
His association experience is extensive. Among his many leadership roles,
Bacharach served a term as Board Chair of the Hospital Association of
Pennsylvania. He holds an undergraduate degree from Ohio University and
a Master’s Degree in Public Health Administration from the University
of Pittsburgh.
Timothy J. Morgus, CPA, CGFM
Tim Morgus, Board Vice-Chair, is Managing Partner at Maher Duessel, Certified
Public Accountants. A graduate of Robert Morris University with a B.S.
in Accounting, Mr. Morgus has concentrated his practice to the areas of
governmental and non-profit auditing. Mr. Morgus joined Maher Duessel
in 1996, named partner in 2005, and named Managing Partner in 2021. Tim
represents over 100 nonprofit and government clients, and is a frequently-requested
speaker on topics including government finance, fraud and government accounting
principles, pension standards, and tax-related matters. Tim also serves
as Director of Recruiting for the firm, which under his leadership has
grown to over 100 employees. He actively serves his community through
volunteer service and civic engagement, including: Technical Reviewer,
GFOA Special Review Committee, Past Treasurer, Government Finance Officers
Association for Western PA; Butler County United Way, Past Chairman and
Board Member; Leadership Butler County-Graduate and Past Board Member;
and Federal Bureau of Investigation Pittsburgh Division-2015-XVI Citizens Academy.
Mr. Morgus resides in Center Township with his wife Sari and two sons Jackson
and Wyatt.
Jeffrey T. Curry, MBA, CPA
Jeff Curry, Board Treasurer, has more than four decades of experience in
financial operations and fiscal management within the healthcare industry,
with nearly 30 years as CFO and Senior Vice President for Excela Health
and its predecessor organization. During his tenure, the consolidation
of healthcare providers in Westmoreland County took place. Having begun
his career as a Certified Public Accountant with KPMG in Pittsburgh, with
an emphasis on healthcare audits, he migrated to the provider healthcare
finance field with Conemaugh Valley Memorial Hospital prior to coming
to Westmoreland Hospital as director of fiscal services in 1984. Curry
received his Bachelor’s in Commerce & Engineering from Drexel
University and his MBA from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. He is
an emeritus member of the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants
and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. He served
on the Excela Health board since 2021 and previously served on the board
of the Central Westmoreland Development Corporation.
Patrick Hampson
Patrick Hampson currently serves as founder and managing partner of HM3
Partners LLC., a private equity investment and advisory firm. Pat was
previously founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of MED3OOO one
of the largest and most advanced healthcare management and technology
service providers in the United States. In 2012 MED3OOO was acquired by
McKesson Corporation. Consistently ranked in the top ten as a FORTUNE
500 company. In 2002 Mr. Hampson received the Ernst & Young Western
Pennsylvania and Ohio Entrepreneur of the Year Award.
Mr. Hampson is a well-known advisor and speaker on healthcare delivery
improvements through advanced access to data, physician leadership and
patient/physician empowerment strategies. Pat is an advocate for physician
leadership and their role in improving the cost, quality and access to
healthcare in the United States. Mr. Hampson continues his focus in healthcare
as an advisor, board member and/or investor in numerous companies. Current
U.S. and global participation include as a Director/Advisor to AveHealth
through MBK Healthcare Management (MHM) a wholly owned subsidiary of Mitsui
& Co., Ltd (Mitsui), one of the largest investments and trading companies
in the world, established as the dedicated investment and operations management
platform for the healthcare business of Mitsu. MBK ownership includes
being the largest shareholder of IHH Healthcare Berhad, a leading premium
healthcare provider operating eighty-three hospitals in 12 countries.
Director with Netsmart Inc. a leading U.S. provider of Software as a Service
(SaaS) technology and services solutions for the subacute and behavioral
health industry. Investor in Intervala LLC, a full-service manufacturer
of high-reliability precision electronic and electromechanical products.
Mr. Hampson also has investments and board participation in HM3 Insurance
LP, HM3 Northshore, and HM3 Bruno, an historic movie/documentary on the
life and career of Bruno Sammartino, one of the world’s most renowned
wrestlers and humanitarians.
Previously Mr. Hampson was an investor and board member of Medic Computer
Systems (NASDAQ) which was sold to Misys PLC and A4 Health Systems (private)
which was sold to Allscripts (AHS: NYSE). Logibec one of Canada’s
largest HIT companies headquartered in Montreal.
Pat, his wife Debi and three children have a commitment to charitable causes
including founding and contributing to HM3 Partners Independence Fund
Inc. The Independence Fund is a charitable not for profit 501 (c) 3 corporation
with a mission focused on raising money for charitable organizations that
support our Country, Community and Caring causes. Mr. Hampson currently
serves on the board of Independence Health System and the Butler Health
System Foundation. One of Eastern and Northern Pennsylvania’s largest
healthcare providers.
James E. Adisey, MD, FACC
Cardiologist, James E. Adisey, MD, FACC, is medical director of the Excela
Health Heart, Lung and Vascular Institute and President of the health
system’s medical staff. Dr. Adisey earned his medical degree from
Ross University School of Medicine, followed by residency training in
internal medicine at St. John Hospital, Detroit, where he remained for
the first of two fellowships in cardiology. He continued specialty training
at Western Pennsylvania Hospital before being recruited to the private
medical practice known as Westmoreland County Cardiology. He has been
a member of the medical staff since 1998 and is now part of a diverse
multispecialty cardiology practice within the Excela Health Medical Group.
He is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine in cardiovascular disease.
Anie G. Perard, MD, FACOG
Anie Perard, M.D., joined Health Services of Clarion in 2005. Dr. Perard
began her medical training in 1995 attending Pennsylvania State University,
College of Medicine in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Her internship at Mount
Sinai School of Medicine in 2001 to 2002 led to her Residency at Mount
Sinai School of Medicine which she completed in 2005. She was elected
Chief Resident in her 4th year of residency.
Board Certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology, she
is also a fellow of the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
She is also a member of the Pennsylvania Medical Society and the American
Medical Association.
In her tenure with this health system so far, Dr. Perard has acted as Dept.
Chair of Ob/Gyn and Dept. Chair of Surgery. She was Vice President of
the Medical staff for six years and went on to serve as President of the
Medical Staff of Clarion Hospital for four years. She is currently Director
of Medical Affairs at BHS Clarion and President of the Hospital’s
Network Operations Council. Through all of this, her passion has always
been women’s health. It is important to her to be a part of making
women feel empowered, acknowledged, respected and healthy. For Dr. Perard,
it is important to help take care of the community that helps support
her. “Taking care of friends, family and neighbors is rewarding
in countless ways. Clarion welcomed me with open arms almost 2 decades
ago and I count myself lucky to still be a part of this amazing community.”
Teresa G. Petrick
Teresa Petrick is the president of AAA East Central. She began her career
at AAA in 2013 as a senior vice president and was elected in 2020 as the
organization’s first female president in its 117-year history. AAA
East Central serves 2.7 million members in Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Ohio,
New York, and West Virginia and is an affiliate of Auto Club Enterprises
(ACE), headquartered in California. Overall, ACE has more than 17 million
members in 21 states representing more than 30 percent of AAA members
throughout the United States.
Terri began her career in healthcare administration more than 40 years
ago. In that time, she rose to different leadership roles in the UPMC
health system ultimately serving as president of UPMC Passavant and UPMC
St. Margaret.
Terri holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Pittsburgh and
a master’s degree from Carnegie Mellon University. She is an immediate
past chair for Excela Health, sits on the University of Pittsburgh at
Greensburg board of directors and is an emeritus board director for LaRoche
College. Terri also serves on the boards for the Pennsylvania AAA Federation,
Ohio Conference of Motor Clubs, and AAA New York State, Inc.
John C. Reefer, MD, FACP
Dr. John Reefer opened his practice in internal medicine and was appointed
to the Medical Staff of Butler Memorial Hospital in 1980. During his tenure,
he held leadership positions including President of the Medical Staff
and Chairman of the Department of Medicine, as well as Chair of multiple
committees of the Medical Staff.
While engaged in full time practice, he expanded his interest into the
areas of health care quality improvement, utilization management, and
health care administration. After leading several care improvement projects,
he accepted the position of Medical Director of the Office of Organizational
Excellence in 1998.
In 2008, Dr. Reefer limited his practice to part time in order to accept
the newly created position of Vice President of Professional Affairs and
Chief Medical Officer at BMH. He served in this capacity through 2017,
at which time he moved to the position of Interim Chief Operations Officer,
a post he held until his retirement in 2018. At the present time, he continues
to serve as a Medical Director for the Physician Assistant Program Studies
program at Slippery Rock University.
After graduating from the Johns Hopkins University, Dr. Reefer attended
the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and completed his internal
medicine training at Presbyterian University Hospital. He is a diplomat
of the American Board of Internal Medicine, a fellow in the American College
of Physicians, and a member of the Pennsylvania Medical Society. Over
the years John has served on multiple boards including the Jean B. Purvis
Community Health Clinic of Butler, the Butler County Soccer Association,
Northern Steel Select Soccer Club, Good Samaritan Hospice, and Life Butler.
Larry Richert
Larry Richert is the host of the Big K Morning Show weekdays 5:30am – 11am.
Larry has been a shining star in Pittsburgh radio and television since
he came to KDKA in November of 1988. There was a 10 year period where
he was a weather anchor for KDKA-TV. He joined the KDKA Morning Show in
2001. His dedication to Pittsburgh made him the perfect ambassador for
the city and awarded him the Vector’s Richard Caliguiri Award. He
was hired in November of 1988 to follow John Cigna on the radio and hosted
a TV morning show on KDKA-TV.
As Larry grew up he traveled through-out the city to many towns helping
to shape his love of Pittsburgh. He was born in Millvale and raised in
McCandless Township, and then attended St. Ursula grade school in Hampton.
Next he progressed to North Allegheny High School where he graduated and
journeyed to Clarion University where he received a Bachelor of Science
degree in Communications.
Outside of radio, Richert is the public address announcer at Heinz Field
for all Pittsburgh Steelers home games, a part of the University of Pittsburgh
football radio team for pre-game, sideline and post- game locker room
shows and since 1985 he has served as the voice of NFL Films/Steelers
Highlights. Larry also co-wrote and co-produced a feature family film
called “Amazing Racer” starring Lou Gossett Jr, Charles Durning,
Eric Roberts and many more well know stars! He is also the Executive Producer
of a new documentary, “Bruno Sammartino”.
Larry has joined the HM3 Independence Fund Board and has committed his
time to helping others wherever he can with numerous charities in the
region. He supports our veterans through “It’s about The Warrior
Foundation”, is the Honorary Chairperson for the American Cancer
Society’s annual Golf Classic and the JDRF Gala event plus the McGuire
Memorial Home, just to name a few.
Larry has three children, Erica, Zachary & Emily and five grandchildren.
He and his wife Cindi reside in Pine Township in Gibsonia.
John Sphon, Former Excela Health CEO
John Sphon was appointed CEO of Excela Health in December 2019, after serving
as interim CEO since April of that year.
From 2008 through 2019, Sphon was CEO of MedCare Equipment Co., LLC, an
Excela Health affiliate providing respiratory and durable medical equipment
and supplies throughout western Pennsylvania, eastern Ohio, northern West
Virginia and southern New York. MedCare is a joint venture with eight
other health systems. His healthcare career spans parts of four decades,
including leadership roles with the health system's Physician Practices
and Ambulatory and Diversified Services.
A resident and native of Westmoreland County, Sphon earned both his bachelor’s
and master’s degrees from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
He is on the Board of Directors of the Economic Growth Connection and a
member of Westmoreland County Chamber of Commerce.
During his tenure as Acting CEO at Excela, Sphon and his management team
worked collaboratively with physicians, nurses and other healthcare professionals
across all Excela Health campuses to achieve operational and quality improvements
in such important areas as length-of-stay and emergency room time from
arrival to discharge. In just a short time, gains were realized in utilization
and financial performance.
He was listed among Pennsylvania Business Central Top 100 People for 2020.
The publication annually highlights 100 people in business and economic
development who have made a dynamic impact on their organizations and
communities.
He has been married to his wife, Donna, for 37 years and they have an adult
son, Lucas.
Debra N. Thompson, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN
Debra N. Thompson, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN is the CEO of Debra N. Thompson,
LLC and holds an adjunct faculty appointment at the University of Pittsburgh,
School of Nursing. Debra has expertise in leadership development, patient
safety, and quality improvement. She has extensive experience in using
Toyota Production Systems/Lean in health care to improve safety, quality,
and care outcomes. Currently, she works with a variety of healthcare organizations
nationally and internationally to apply these principles. As the Chief
Nursing Officer with the Pittsburgh Regional Health Initiative, she led
a project, cofounded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Jewish
Healthcare Foundation to prepare frontline leaders as change agents to
improve safety and quality and was the Pittsburgh Lead for an Agency for
Healthcare Research and Quality team to identify the challenges senior
leadership faced in implementing a patient safety agenda. Debra has held
a variety of administrative roles in both academic medical centers and
community hospitals. She has coauthored multiple articles on organizational
transformation, work redesign, and patient safety as well as presenting
internationally and nationally. Her work with industrial models in healthcare
is featured in the Shingo Prize winning book, The Pittsburgh Way by Naida Grunden.
Debra serves as patient safety and administrative advisor to Qualaris Healthcare
Solutions, Inc. Debra is a fellow in the American Academy of Nursing.
She is a member of the American Organization of Nurse Executives and served
as a member of the Foundation Education Committee and the Patient Safety
and Quality Committee. Debra has been involved with the Center for Evidence-Based
Management since its inception. Debra has held multiple leadership roles
in professional societies and boards. She served on the University of
Pittsburgh Alumni Association board from 2014-2021, including their equity
and social justice task force. She is a recipient of the University of
Pittsburgh’s Bill Baierl Distinguished Alumni Service Award and
School of Nursing Distinguished Alumni Award for service.
Ken DeFurio is President & CEO of Independence Health System. DeFurio
was a key leader in the creation of Independence Health, the third largest
health system and the largest community-based health system in western
PA. Independence Health System was the result of bringing together Excela
Health and Butler Health System. With more than 7000 employees, and approximately
1000 physicians and advanced practice providers, it is the largest employer
in Butler and Westmoreland Counties. Independence Health System serves
a ten-county region in western PA.
Paul Bacharach, Board Chair, recently retired as President and Chief Executive
Officer of Gateway Rehab, having held that role since December 2013. In
his position, Bacharach oversaw all facets of the Gateway Rehab system,
which has more than 20 locations through Western Pennsylvania and Ohio.
He previously served for 21 years as the President and CEO of Fayette
Regional Health System/Uniontown Hospital. In that capacity he was responsible
for the health system’s ability to maintain dominant market position
in its region while advancing clinical services, infrastructure and financial
stability. Prior to joining the Fayette Health System, Bacharach advanced
progressively through hospital positions in Western Pennsylvania and Ohio.
His association experience is extensive. Among his many leadership roles,
Bacharach served a term as Board Chair of the Hospital Association of
Pennsylvania. He holds an undergraduate degree from Ohio University and
a Master’s Degree in Public Health Administration from the University
of Pittsburgh.
Tim Morgus, Board Vice-Chair, is Managing Partner at Maher Duessel, Certified
Public Accountants. A graduate of Robert Morris University with a B.S.
in Accounting, Mr. Morgus has concentrated his practice to the areas of
governmental and non-profit auditing. Mr. Morgus joined Maher Duessel
in 1996, named partner in 2005, and named Managing Partner in 2021. Tim
represents over 100 nonprofit and government clients, and is a frequently-requested
speaker on topics including government finance, fraud and government accounting
principles, pension standards, and tax-related matters. Tim also serves
as Director of Recruiting for the firm, which under his leadership has
grown to over 100 employees. He actively serves his community through
volunteer service and civic engagement, including: Technical Reviewer,
GFOA Special Review Committee, Past Treasurer, Government Finance Officers
Association for Western PA; Butler County United Way, Past Chairman and
Board Member; Leadership Butler County-Graduate and Past Board Member;
and Federal Bureau of Investigation Pittsburgh Division-2015-XVI Citizens Academy.
Jeff Curry, Board Treasurer, has more than four decades of experience in
financial operations and fiscal management within the healthcare industry,
with nearly 30 years as CFO and Senior Vice President for Excela Health
and its predecessor organization. During his tenure, the consolidation
of healthcare providers in Westmoreland County took place. Having begun
his career as a Certified Public Accountant with KPMG in Pittsburgh, with
an emphasis on healthcare audits, he migrated to the provider healthcare
finance field with Conemaugh Valley Memorial Hospital prior to coming
to Westmoreland Hospital as director of fiscal services in 1984. Curry
received his Bachelor’s in Commerce & Engineering from Drexel
University and his MBA from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. He is
an emeritus member of the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants
and the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. He served
on the Excela Health board since 2021 and previously served on the board
of the Central Westmoreland Development Corporation.
Patrick Hampson currently serves as founder and managing partner of HM3
Partners LLC., a private equity investment and advisory firm. Pat was
previously founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of MED3OOO one
of the largest and most advanced healthcare management and technology
service providers in the United States. In 2012 MED3OOO was acquired by
McKesson Corporation. Consistently ranked in the top ten as a FORTUNE
500 company. In 2002 Mr. Hampson received the Ernst & Young Western
Pennsylvania and Ohio Entrepreneur of the Year Award.
Cardiologist, James E. Adisey, MD, FACC, is medical director of the Excela
Health Heart, Lung and Vascular Institute and President of the health
system’s medical staff. Dr. Adisey earned his medical degree from
Ross University School of Medicine, followed by residency training in
internal medicine at St. John Hospital, Detroit, where he remained for
the first of two fellowships in cardiology. He continued specialty training
at Western Pennsylvania Hospital before being recruited to the private
medical practice known as Westmoreland County Cardiology. He has been
a member of the medical staff since 1998 and is now part of a diverse
multispecialty cardiology practice within the Excela Health Medical Group.
He is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine in cardiovascular disease.
Anie Perard, M.D., joined Health Services of Clarion in 2005. Dr. Perard
began her medical training in 1995 attending Pennsylvania State University,
College of Medicine in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Her internship at Mount
Sinai School of Medicine in 2001 to 2002 led to her Residency at Mount
Sinai School of Medicine which she completed in 2005. She was elected
Chief Resident in her 4th year of residency.
Teresa Petrick is the president of AAA East Central. She began her career
at AAA in 2013 as a senior vice president and was elected in 2020 as the
organization’s first female president in its 117-year history. AAA
East Central serves 2.7 million members in Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Ohio,
New York, and West Virginia and is an affiliate of Auto Club Enterprises
(ACE), headquartered in California. Overall, ACE has more than 17 million
members in 21 states representing more than 30 percent of AAA members
throughout the United States.
Dr. John Reefer opened his practice in internal medicine and was appointed
to the Medical Staff of Butler Memorial Hospital in 1980. During his tenure,
he held leadership positions including President of the Medical Staff
and Chairman of the Department of Medicine, as well as Chair of multiple
committees of the Medical Staff.
Larry Richert is the host of the Big K Morning Show weekdays 5:30am – 11am.
John Sphon was appointed CEO of Excela Health in December 2019, after serving
as interim CEO since April of that year.
Debra N. Thompson, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, FAAN is the CEO of Debra N. Thompson,
LLC and holds an adjunct faculty appointment at the University of Pittsburgh,
School of Nursing. Debra has expertise in leadership development, patient
safety, and quality improvement. She has extensive experience in using
Toyota Production Systems/Lean in health care to improve safety, quality,
and care outcomes. Currently, she works with a variety of healthcare organizations
nationally and internationally to apply these principles. As the Chief
Nursing Officer with the Pittsburgh Regional Health Initiative, she led
a project, cofounded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Jewish
Healthcare Foundation to prepare frontline leaders as change agents to
improve safety and quality and was the Pittsburgh Lead for an Agency for
Healthcare Research and Quality team to identify the challenges senior
leadership faced in implementing a patient safety agenda. Debra has held
a variety of administrative roles in both academic medical centers and
community hospitals. She has coauthored multiple articles on organizational
transformation, work redesign, and patient safety as well as presenting
internationally and nationally. Her work with industrial models in healthcare
is featured in the Shingo Prize winning book, The Pittsburgh Way by Naida Grunden.
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